The Board denied service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, as well as restless leg syndrome of the lower extremities. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.,The Veteran's claims were reviewed on a de novo basis due to new and material evidence received after a previous denial.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no medical evidence linking the current disabilities to service, including STRs which did not document complaints or symptoms related to these conditions. The PULHES profile also supported this finding as it indicated high levels of fitness in the Veteran's lower extremities after his reported ankle injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ankle disability, Right ankle disability, Restless leg syndrome of the left lower extremity, Restless leg syndrome of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19175551
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, right inguinal hernia, non allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while granting service connection for left knee strain and left leg shin splints.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, right knee, right hand, left knee, right ankle, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury due to untimely appeals or lack of evidence supporting current disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA's obligation to obtain relevant records from the Social Security Administration.
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